Press Statement From Oju Clan
THE OJU-IBILLA COMMUNAL CLASH OVER THE LOCATION OF UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (UNAST) -
THE TRUE STORY
In view of the deliberate distortion and misrepresentation of facts and issues as well as the false narrative being sold to the public to whip anti-Oju sentiments concerning the recent outbreak of communal clashes between Ibilla and Oju Communities of Oju Local Government Area of Benue State, over the location of University of Applied Sciences and Technology, (UNAST), the Oju community wishes to set the records straight by stating as follows.
1. The mutual antagonism and suspicion between Ibilla and Oju Communities began in 1976 following the creation of Oju Local Government Area with headquarters at Oju.
2. The whole problem stemmed from the refusal by Ibilla Clan to accept the reality and fact of Oju as the Local Government headquarters. This position has resulted in persistent agitations by Ibilla for change of name, tension and occasional breakdown of law and order.
3. In response to Ibilla's recurring agitations, the Benue State Government, Igede leaders and the law courts had, at various times, instituted enquiries into the issues which were all settled and resolved administratively, legally, and constitutionally in favour of Oju based on historical facts.
4. Ever since the early 1990s, having failed to achieve their objective, the Ibilla Community has resorted to self-help and expansionist agenda of promoting and projecting the name of 'Anyuwogbu' as a possible replacement for 'Oju.' This is what has brought them into conflicts with their neighbours, notably Oju and Ukpa communities.
B. Immediate causes
5. In the 47-year-old hostility of Ibilla clan towards Oju clan, we as a community, have consciously played the role of the true mother of the disputed baby in the biblical case in which King Solomon used wisdom to give his famous judgement. We always refrain from being provoked into any reactions that could lead to the breakdown of law and order or destruction of lives and property on our land. We became even more conscious of this fact when our daughter, Hon. Mrs. Evelyn Okwe, became the first chairman from Oju in the 47-year history of the Local Government, to ensure that nothing untoward happens to taint her tenure.
For example, about two years ago, a couple of Ibilla youths walked into Obohu-Oju village and killed our son, Edo Aloga in cold blood over a misunderstanding with his wife who hails from Ibilla. Oju people decided not to retaliate in the interest of peace and good neighbourliness. And, just a month ago, Ibilla youths went and destroyed a building belonging to an Oju man at Umoda-Oju which they said housed the government security agency whose men killed a suspected criminal said to be from Ibilla. It turned out that Ibilla youths acted in error as the building and its owner had no links with the death that provoked the destruction. The Oju community were appealed to by Igede people and they didn't react.
6. As peace and education-loving people, the Oju community warmly and whole-heartedly welcomed the establishment of UNAST at Oga-Oluwa, our land, first, by not demanding for compensation of any kind. Two, by actively participating in the clearing of the permanent site, jointly with Ainu and Ibilla people and; third, by participating in preparatory meetings, notably the one of December 14, 2022, called or attended by the Adirahu ny'Igede, HRH, Chief Oga Ero, CP (rtd). During this period, the name of UNAST's permanent site 'Oga-Oluwa' was correctly reflected on working documents and appropriately recorded and captured in the Minutes of that meeting.
7. We were surprised, therefore, when the name 'Anyuwogbu' where Professor Johnson Agbinya, the proprietor of UNAST hails from, surfaced on the Invitation Card for the Ground Breaking/Foundation Laying Ceremony of the university posted on the social media less than one week to the occasion. Worse still, to the best of our knowledge, no personality or leader, including the Chiefs from Oju clan, the prime catchment Community of the proposed university, was invited for the event. Sensing that the proposed university might be a smokescreen or an opportunity for the extension of the Ibilla 'Anyuwogbu' agenda, we as a community wrote two separate letters dated June 8, 2023, to the Adirahu ny'Igede, HRH Chief Oga Ero CP (rtd), copying relevant authorities, and Prof. Johnson Agbinya, proprietor of the proposed university, in which we expressed our reservations and suggested ways to address them. Consequently, meetings and consultations took place on the eve and in the morning of the event that resulted in the decision to put off the event and the scheduling of a meeting for June 24 to iron out the grey areas.
8. With the scheduled meeting for June 24 to resolve the grey areas, we thought the matter would be resolved amicably. But to our surprise, immediately the news about rescheduling of the event got to Ibilla youths, they came out to mount road blocks on all the roads leading to Oju villages where they manhandled Oju people including women returning from the market and threatened to kill Oju councilor and mr. Mike Ojiya who were even involved in the mediation with Oju people. The following morning, Sunday, June 11, Ibilla youths again came out to mount road blocks at Barracks to prevent Oju indigenes from passing and to stop worshippers from attending the First Mass at St. Thomas Catholic Church, Oju, to be celebrated by a newly ordained Oju-born Reverend Father. They insisted that since the event organized by their son, Professor Agbinya, was not allowed to hold, they would also not allow the one organised by Oju people for their newly ordained Rev. Father to take place. They seized a car belonging to an Oju son which was later retrieved from them.
9. Not satisfied, the Ibilla youths began to march towards Oju Community. By the time they arrived at the Federal Low Cost Housing Estate, Oju youths who got wind of their movement also mobilized and waited at the Low cost estate. On sighting Oju youths, the Ibilla youths started to attack them by shooting at them. The youths from Oju fired back to repel them. Simultaneously, another group of Ibilla youths had already entered the part of Ipinu-Oju, the oldest Oju settlement that is contiguous with the real Anyuwogbu, and were shooting. They eventually razed down the entire settlement which is not visible to passersby on the main road traversing Oju town, giving the impression that only Oju youths destroyed the property of Ibilla people. On the contrary Oju youths only reacted to the mind-boggling destruction of property at Ipinu-Oju. Those who seek to know the truth should visit Ipinu-Oju to confirm this fact. Everything that happened thereafter that Sunday and after was the fallout of the unprovoked attack by the Ibilla youths.
C. Conclusion
10 (1). From the narration in Sections A and B above, it is clear that Oju Community was not the aggressor. Oju people only reacted after being attacked on June 11.
10 (2). Oju Community is not opposed to the siting of UNAST on their land and or is anti development. Rather, the misunderstanding resulted from the attachment of a hidden 'Anyuwogbu' agenda to the noble project of the university. Everybody in Igede knows the ancestral name where the university is being built to be 'Oga-Oluwa' and NOT 'Anyuwogbu', which is Professor Agbinya's village. Our simple demand was and is to use the correct and true name of the place, Oga-Oluwa, which we consider as a nuetral Igede identity for the place since the Ibilla people are not comfortable with Oju name. It is Ibilla people that have been driving away development from Oju township and its suburbs with their vaulting ambition to force Anyuwogbu down the throat of everybody as the name of the land hosting the Oju Local Government Area by all means, including waging war on different fronts. This can be clearly seen in the stagnation of the area called Barracks since the clashes over the 1991 Population Census.
The clash between Ibilla and Ukpa youths a couple of years ago in which property worth millions of Naira were destroyed at Oju township also resulted from Ibilla's clandestine manipulation of name of an Ukpa settlement at Oba Olori
(3). We reject the one-sided arrest and summary prosecution of 23 Oju youths as suspected fighters while no Ibilla person was arrested. It is not possible that in a situation where two groups are fighting, that the security operatives will arrest all 23 of them from one side and not a a single person from the other. The fact is that most of the boys were arrested in their homes. We demand their immediate release.
(3) We also wholeheartedly welcome the suggestion for setting up a Judicial Commission of enquiry on the crisis and staging of an Igede Peace Summit as suggested.
(4) We sincerely sympathize with all victims of the unfortunate incident and call on them and others to enlist as soldiers of truth, justice and peace in our land. May God comfort and replenish them bountifully.
(5) We are ready to continue to live in peace with our neighbours and call on Government and all people of goodwill to prevail on our more illustrious Ibilla neughbours to refrain from oppressing, suppressing and attacking us.
Sign;
1. Okwori Ojajah
National president, Oju Development Association
2. Ode Egboja Donald
Secretary General, Oju Development Association.
3. Adole Thomas Ajigo
National President, Oju Youths Associations
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